The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello all,

I picked up a few Pathé center starts at the Orlando show. Most of the yellow material used to fill in the etched label to make it readable is gone. Anybody have recommendations about what should be used to put that color back?

Clay

Use a yellow tire crayon.

I will second the suggestion to try using a crayon. I have used crayons to fill in the numbers and gradations of dials on old TRF battery radios. Just scribble the crayon to fill in the recesses and wipe off the excess.

Pathé may have used paint, but I think using a crayon might be less messy.

In the world of plastic model building, we use what's called a wash to fill in detail lines.
A water based paint (like acrylic) is watered down considerably, then this watered down mixture is
allowed to 'run' into the crevices. It may take a few coats because it will dry a little more
translucent then a non-watered down acrylic. If there's any that spills outside of the
intended crevices, it can be cleaned easily even if dried.

Test first on the record you hate.



EDIT: Here's a better description --> http://www.hlj.com/guides/wash.html

On both etched Pathé discs and Blue Amberol cylinders I brush enamel paint thinly over the lettered area and immediately wipe away the excess with a clean rag. The paint fills the indentations and leaves a very slight film on the surrounding area.

When the paint has dried, this film is easily removed with a rag barely moistened in white spirit, leaving the newly painted lettering pristine. The enamel should prove more permanent than water based paint or wax.

I use crayon, and wipe off the excess with a piece of felt.